MILWAUKEE …Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation today announced several “Powering Communities Grants” to support local community organizations in the Milwaukee area. The $39,000 in grants will be used to augment and enhance various programs and activities benefiting citizens throughout the region.

Building on Eaton’s tradition of corporate citizenship, the company’s “Powering Communities Grants” help improve the quality of life in communities where Eaton employees live and work.

"Eaton is committed to giving something back to the communities in which it does business," said Michelle Cameron, human resources supervisor, Eaton's Milwaukee campus. "We are proud to support these organizations because they offer valuable services and benefits to the citizens of Milwaukee and the surrounding areas."

Funding recipients include:

• Junior Achievement - $2,500 to support its ethics program that teaches students the essentials of business, marketing, economics and finance.
• American Cancer Society - $3,500 toward the annual Relay for Life fundraising event in Watertown, Wis.
• Special Olympics Milwaukee - $5,000 for its Young Athletes Program which introduces children with intellectual disabilities, along with their families, to the world of sports.
• University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee - $5,000 to be used for three engineering scholarships for women and minorities.
• YMCA - $5,500 to support its Black Achievers program to provide educational scholarships to African American students.
• Delphi House - $7,500 to underwrite costs to renovate the building that was established  to provide shelter and support services for children and families displaced due to domestic violence or neglect.
• Engineers and Scientists of Milwaukee - $10,000 to enhance mathematics, science and physics education and career options for students of varying ethnic backgrounds.

Eaton’s Milwaukee campus is the headquarters for the company’s Industrial Controls Division, part of its Electrical Sector, as well as one of the company’s corporate innovation centers. The campus employs approximately 150 people who provide engineering and marketing support to the division’s  manufacturing locations, including research and development support for the company overall.

Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with 2008 sales of $15.4 billion. Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 75,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries.